Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Rubber Duck Project

Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman designed this four-story-high rubber duck to "relieve mondial tensions as well as define them." According to the Rubber Duck Project page, it does not discriminate and has no political connotation. The larger than life duck has been on display in Amsterdam, Lommel (Belgium), Osaka, Sydney Harbour, Sao Paulo and Hong Kong. It made its U.S. debut here in Pittsburgh on Friday. The boy and I attended its arrival in true Pittsburgh fashion: by cramming ourselves through crowds of people on the closed Roberto Clemente bridge. Apparently it stopped traffic as it made its way down the river on Friday. Pablo Picasso said, "The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls." Just looking at the crowds of people on Friday night I believe the Rubber Duck Project accomplished that.